Testimonial: "Thank you Rick, but I don't understand why everything I read says to measure only the outer cable length. How does that determine the inner length when there is no set standard for how much the inner protrudes from the outer."

6 Suggested Answers

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Bowden cables like your clutch cable work on the law of the lever.
Think of lifting up a heavy weight hanging on a rope using a lever balanced on a fulcrum. The rope is in tension and the fulcrum is in compression. To adjust the point of lift you could either vary the length of the rope or adjust the height of the fulcrum. The outer sleeve of your clutch cable is made out of plastic-coated steel, square-section wire and is resistant to compression forces along its length. This outer sleeve works as your fulcrum and, because it is flexible, lets you put it where it is needed - at the end of your handlebar. The cable inner is like the rope in the lever example and resists only stretching forces. It is threaded down through that snaking fulcrum back to where control movement is needed.
The cable adjusters let you fine tune the length of the fulcrum, and therefore the lift range of the inner cable.,,,

Bowden cables like your clutch cable work on the law of the lever.
Think of lifting up a heavy weight hanging on a rope using a lever balanced on a fulcrum. The rope is in tension and the fulcrum is in compression. To adjust the point of lift you could either vary the length of the rope or adjust the height of the fulcrum. The outer sleeve of your clutch cable is made out of plastic-coated steel, square-section wire and is resistant to compression forces along its length. This outer sleeve works as your fulcrum and, because it is flexible, lets you put it where it is needed - at the end of your handlebar. The cable inner is like the rope in the lever example and resists only stretching forces. It is threaded down through that snaking fulcrum back to where control movement is needed.
The cable adjusters let you fine tune the length of the fulcrum, and therefore the lift range of the inner cable.,,,

If you're talking about the old style throttle cable that is internal of the handlebar, it's pretty straight forward. Remove the throttle grip, the rollers and pin for the plunger. Pull the plunger out bringing the old throttle cable with it or at least out far enough to loosen the small set screws that lock the cable in. Now, run the new cable through the outer housing. put the end of new cable into the plunger and tighten the set screws. Replace plunger into the handlebar, replace pin and rollers, replace throttle grip. Now, set the throttle to full closed posititon. Move carb throttle lever to full closed position. With throttle cable through clamp tighten screw securing cable. Check for proper operation of throttle mechanism.

turn the cable adjuster back to its original position ie between 600-700 rpm look to the left hand side of the carbs you will see a large adjusting screw on a metal bracket whilst engine is running turn inwards towards rear wheel until between 1000 - 1500 rpm remember to warm engine first as rpm will rise if idle is set with a cold engine as the engine warms up when riding

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Related Questions:

Hi Jim:
Make,
Model
Year
Carb? Probably yes since you mention choke
- Idle is adjusted by screwing the throttle stop screw in or out.
- Choke cable is adjusted by slacking off the outer cable clamp, or the inner wire clamp, placing the control in the desired position, placing the choke butterfly in the desired position, and tightening the clamps.

REMOVAL
Loosen the cable adjuster jam nuts, screw the throttle cable adjuster until it is as short as possible, remove the two screws that hold the handlebar housing together to separate the upper and lower housings, unhook the ferrules and cables from the throttle grip and lower housing, remove the air cleaner assembly and disconnect the throttle cables from the carburetor, pull the cable from the housing by placing a drop of oil on the retaining ring that holds the cable in the housing, then firmly pull the bent tubing portion of the cable out of the housing using a rocking motion. The cables can be removed from the carburetor by pulling the outer housing away from plate above the throttle wheel and then with slack in the inner cable twisting the inner cable to allow the swaged end to release from the slot in the throttle wheel and then pull the inner cable out through the mounting plate hole.

If you will reuse the cable wash all components in non-flammable cleaning solvent, carefully blow all parts dry with low pressure compressed air, replace the control cables if frayed, kinked or bent, put one or two drops of oil into the housing of each control cable.

INSTALLATION
Apply a light coating of graphite to the handlebar and to the inside surface of the housings, attach the control cable assemblies to the lower housing, push the silver insert of the throttle cable housing into the hole in front of the tension adjuster screw, push the gold insert of the idle cable housing into the hole at the rear of the tension adjuster screw, install the adjusting screw, spring and friction pad in the lower housing if they were removed, position the throttle grip on the handlebar, place the lower housing on/over the throttle grip, position the ferrules and retaining rings over the cable balls and seat them in the throttle notches, fasten the upper housing to the lower housing using two screws tightened to 35-45 in-lbs (4.0-5.1 Nm), CHECK the throttle cable routing, on FXD, FXDL and FXDX models, the throttle cables are routed between the headlamp bracket and the front fork upper bracket and then under right side of tank to carburetor. On FXDXT models the throttle cables are routed through a wire form that is mounted on the upper fork bracket. On FXDWG models, the throttle cables are routed behind the front fork upper bracket, then under the right side of the fuel tank to the carburetor, install the throttle cables on the carburetor and adjust them at the handlebars and re-install the air cleaner. The throttle cables must be clear of steering stops and not be so tight that the idle speed will be changed when turned from steering stop to steering stop.

Throttle Cable Adjustment
To adjust the throttle cables turn the cable adjusters and jamnuts as short as they will go so that both cables will have zero adjustment at the start of the adjustment procedure. THEN with the front wheel pointing straight ahead turn the throttle grip wide open and hold it there, turn the throttle cable adjuster to lengthen the sleeve until the throttle cam just touches the cam stop. THEN tighten the adjuster jamnut and release the throttle. THEN turn the front wheel full right and turn the idle cable adjuster to lengthen the sleeve until the cable housing just touches the spring in the cable support sleeve. THEN recheck the adjustment by working the throttle grip to be sure the cable returns to idle position when released. If the cable does not return to idle, turn idle adjuster to shorten the sleeve until the correct adjustment is reached and then tighten the jamnut. The throttle control must operate freely without binding.

The outer cable is probably not fixed in place at the bottom end. If so, instead of the control moving the inner cable and moving the air control butterfly, the outer cable is sliding down the inner cable and so no movement of the inner cable occurs. Look for a missing or loose outer cable clamp.

Before you remove the instruments, check that the speedo drive cable is in one piece. There will be a knurled barrel on the back of the speedo, undo and pull the metal centre out. Then measure the length of the cable and check the length of the cable outer. if the inner is shorter, replace the inner.

Sounds like the inner throttle cable is binding with the outer casing,This coule be caused by dust and moisture causing rust on the inner cable. I would firstly try to get a light spray lubricant into the outer casing .I would disconnect it from the throttle lever and spray lubricant onto the inner cable and progressively work the throttle lever to draw the fluid into the outer case. Elevate the lower end so gravity will assist you.

Since you asked this question twice, I will comment on this one. The idle speed is not really adjustable - its controlled by the computer.Generally, the throttle cable should have some slack - you should have to push on the gas pedal a quarter inch or so before the throttle plate moves. I don't know if there is an actual measurement or spec since I have never needed one.

You may check it with DC voltmeter. With voltmeter, red cable is plus, black cable is minus. Connect it wit the inverter.If your voltmeter is measuring positive, it mean the polarity is true, this is mean cable of inverter that connect with red cable of is plus, and with black cable is minus. If voltmeter measuring negative, try to flip the connection to measuring postive.

Disconnect the outer tie rod and remove,then remove boot,then use special tool to remove inner tie rod. You will then have to have it aligned. You can use a tape measure to get it close enough to drive,just mark one of the grooves in the tire so you are measuring the exact same points,measure from tire to tire in the front of front tires then take a measurement at the rear of front tires and adjust the outer tire rods until the measurements are pretty close to equal.